Deathly Hallows: Part I Breaks Box Office Records in IMAX

MAX Corporation (Nasdaq:IMAX) (TSX:IMX) and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, which opened number one at the box office this weekend, generating an overall domestic gross of $125.1 million, grossed a record $16.1 million globally in IMAX theatres, beating previous opening records for an IMAX DMR title.

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 23, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IMAX Corporation (Nasdaq:IMAX) (TSX:IMX) and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, which opened number one at the box office this weekend, generating an overall domestic gross of $125.1 million, grossed a record $16.1 million globally in IMAX theatres, beating previous opening records for an IMAX DMR title.

Domestically, the film's release in IMAX theatres contributed $11.8 million from 239 IMAX screens. Internationally, the IMAX release also posted a record opening weekend, generating approximately $4.3 million on 101 screens. The film is scheduled to open on IMAX screens in France and Korea among other markets over the coming weeks.

"This extraordinary franchise commands an absolutely massive audience, and the Harry Potter IMAX experience is a crucial component of its enduring success," said Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. "In collaboration with our partners at IMAX, we anticipate an enormously triumphant run extending throughout the holiday season."

"These record-breaking numbers are a true testament to the overwhelmingly positive response internationally to our latest installment of Harry Potter," said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. "We're thrilled to be working with IMAX once again to deliver such a unique viewing experience to audiences around the world as we conclude this beloved series."

"The strong performance of this film demonstrates what the IMAX brand and the growth of the IMAX theatre network can bring to the release of a blockbuster film," said Richard L. Gelfond, CEO, IMAX Corporation. "In fact, 23 new IMAX theatres were installed and opened in time for the release of this film, demonstrating that great Hollywood films in IMAX not only deliver great box office results but can also be the catalyst for theatre openings. As our network rapidly expands, so does the appetite for The IMAX Experience, and that is clearly reflected in the performance of many new locations that opened this weekend. We're particularly pleased with our new theatres in Japan, which generated a per screen average of approximately $50,000."

"Everyone is under the Potter spell," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "This phenomenal weekend captures the global excitement for JK Rowling's epic series. Warner Bros. Pictures' masterful campaign peaked perfectly and made the film's debut one of the most highly anticipated releases in history. We look forward to the weeks ahead and are honored to be a part of the franchise's final installment next summer."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I: The IMAX Experience has been digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology for presentation in IMAX. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique immersive environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

About Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final adventure in the Harry Potter film series, is a motion picture event, told in two full-length parts. Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the Horcruxes--the keys to Voldemort's immortality. On their own, without the guidance or protection of their professors, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart. Meanwhile, the Wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort's Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them. But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort: Harry Potter. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as Voldemort's followers search for Harry with orders to bring him to Dark Lord...alive. Harry's only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. But as he searches for clues, he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale--the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true, it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks. Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when, on that fateful day, he became "the Boy Who Lived." No longer just a boy, Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents A Heyday Films Production, a David Yates Film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. The film is directed by David Yates and produced by David Heyman, David Barron and J.K. Rowling. Steve Kloves wrote the screenplay, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. Lionel Wigram served as executive producer.

About IMAX CorporationIMAX Corporation is one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies, specializing in immersive motion picture technologies. The worldwide IMAX network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe, with IMAX theatres delivering the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3D, and IMAX DMR technology. IMAX DMR is the Company's groundbreaking digital re-mastering technology that allows it to digitally transform virtually any conventional motion picture into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. The IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences for consumers. As of September 30, 2010, there were 470 IMAX theatres (348 commercial, 122 institutional) operating in 45 countries.